Lost and Found
by Tuuli Thea
Summary: Set in NM. Cliff scene did happen, but no Alice. On a lonely Friday, Bella discovers her missing items. Not long after, a misson against love, friendship and time ensues. BXE Canon pairings. Rating may change. WIP
1. Chapter 1

**_I'm back once again! Here now is my newest baby; Lost and Found._**

**_The idea for this story came to me a few weeks ago, but I never got around to actually writing it since work and other personal ordeals have taken over my life. But I'm pretty sure that things have calmed down a lot, so now I have a bit more free time and I'll actually be around to writing all of this now._**

**_I do not have a second chapter written yet, but I am toying with some ideas. But please, do tell me if you think that I am moving the story too fast or if some things do not make sense._**

**_I'm trying to keep everyone in character as much as I can, but please tell me or PM me if things start to fall off track._**

**_And I must apologize for the many promises that I had made in my profile, but this one I am very determined to keep!_**

**_So without further ado, here is the first chapter of Lost and Found!_**

**_Disclaimer: The lovely, talented Mrs. Stephenie Meyer owns all that you see here. My plot is my own and I make no profit from it._**

**_Ooooh, anyone else excited for Twilight coming out on Friday?! I actually got tickets to see it! Yes!! *victory dance*_**

**_~~~~*_**

It was just another one of those days. One of those excruciating long days where _nothing_ goes your way.

Of course, when you're me, nothing seems to go your way anymore.

I sighed for about the millionth time this past hour alone and made my way to the kitchen to make Charlie his dinner. Harry had passed away more than two weeks ago, and everyday he's made himself become distracted with every little thing that came his way.

I shook my head and took out the necessary items to make a good beef stew and fiddled around with the controls on the oven.

Time just seemed to slide right on by. School was still in session, though I held little patience from the knowledge that I acquired there. Jacob was still my best friend... but backed off some from my latest rejection to him. Mentally wincing, I remembered the look on his face when I finally said the words to him...

It was just a week ago and things were relatively normal. Victoria was still after me, my good vampires were no where to be seen and Jacob was still running his patrols night after night with no sleep.

On a rainy Thursday, Jake showed up to my house running his hands through the little hair he head and even began stuttering over his words. My eyebrows rose to nearly my hairline as I said to him, "Really Jake, just spit it out. Whatever you have to say won't kill you."

I very nearly rolled my eyes when he said, "It just may."

I shook my head and retreated back to my kitchen where my recent English project was spread out over my table. I didn't hear Jake's silent movements, but I could still sense that he was there.

Settling myself back down, I curled my arms around my knees and focused my eyes on my English book when Jake fell into the chair across from me. "Okay... I need to just get this out there. Of course, I know that you already know, but I think it may make me feel better knowing that you truly do know what I know."

I looked up at him and blinked twice. "Was I supposed to understand that? Or are you speaking in clues, hoping that I would understand."

He let out a shaky sigh and laughed nervously and looked hard at the table. "Bella, I love you."

Silence filled the air as I stared at a spot on the kitchen wall above his head. Of course I knew how Jake felt about me. It was noticeable to everyone around. Charlie noticed and every one of the members of the pack knew, and not just from Jake's thoughts. It was mirrored in every look, every word, every action...

But did I love him? I never really gave it much thought. I wanted him to get the hint that I wasn't recovered and I was no where near ready into launching myself into another whirlwind of emotions.

Surly he'd understand that much. Or so I had hoped.

"Jake..." I started slowly, still not looking at him, even when he raised his face to me, and I didn't need to look at him knowing that his eyes were sparkling with hope, "I don't know how to put this. You know you mean a lot to me, you're my best friend." I paused and took a deep breath and let my eyes meet his, "but the most I can give you is friendship. I love you... but not in the way you want me to."

His reaction, however, I wasn't expected. He snorted.

No cry of anguish. No yelling. No anything. Just a snort.

I leveled a glare and his outdid mine as his hands began to tremble.

"Jake-"

"No."

I tilted my head and leaned back from him as his closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You still love him. You're still waiting for your precious Edward." I gasped as his words ripped open the hole in my chest. "News flash Bells- he's not coming back for you."

And with those words, my best friend, my Jacob got up and left...

Charlie slamming the front door behind him broke me free from my thoughts. "Bella?" He asked with caution clear his eyes "are you okay?"

"Huh?" I said, returning my attention to the dinner I was attempting to make, "oh yeah, Dad, I'm fine."

He gave me a look that suggested that he didn't believe me but he let it slide as he moved onto the living room to let me finish our food in peace.

My hands shook as I tried to control my emotions that were running on high at the moment. It's been over a week and there have been no phone calls, no little notes from him or even a word from Billy when Charlie went to go see him the other night.

"Billy says that Jake has been busy with his other friends Bells," he told me the other night while I was sulking over Calculus homework, "he'll come around."

I shook my head and sighed as the beef stew was finally done.

"Ch- Dad?" I called, "want me to bring out your stew for you so you can watch the game?" We usually never eat in the front room, but I haven't heard a peep from Charlie and I'm guessing he was almost too into the game...

"What? Oh, yeah sure Bells, thank you." He said with a grin on his face when I brought him out his stew.

After I have him his own filling, I took a few spoonfuls for myself and sat down at the table and stared at the spot where Jake had last been. _'I had hurt him so much.'_ I thought with a cringe, suddenly pushing my bowl away from me. _'Then again, his words were pretty out of line too...'_

I shivered once and glanced at my clock. Another Friday wasted. All I did was homework, clean and cook. That's all I had been doing since him.

After cleaning out the dishes and pushing the leftovers into our overstuffed refrigerator, I trudged up the stairs, calling a 'goodnight!' to my father. I was dying to get in a shower before falling asleep.

About twenty minutes later, I stumbled into my room, tripping over my new too long bathrobe. "What the heck?" I asked myself, noticing a piece of floorboard that was slightly tipped in an upwards way.

I never really paid much attention to the floor before. Okay, so that's a lie, I almost always look at the floor so I don't find any offensive objects that are going to come and try and trip me to my doom.

I crouched down to the floor with my hair tumbling out of the towel and falling over my shoulder. Brushing it aside, I tried lifting the small part of the floorboard and frowned when it moved easily without the slightest noise.

Glancing behind me at my closed door and trying to think of a good excuse on why my face was almost to the floor if Charlie walked in. "Oh well... you know, I've been trying to see what I shoved under my bed..." Yeah, right. He knows I've cleaned my room about twenty times this week alone...

Shaking myself from my random thoughts, I glanced down into the dark hole wondering what was down there. A rat? Possibly. Some mice? Even more possible. Lots of dust? A severed hand?

I got up and reached for my tiny flashlight on my bedside table and turned it on and shined it into the hole.

What I found took the breath out of me, and caused tears to run down my face.

It was... everything.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Okay, guys I must say… 53 HITS IN ONE NIGHT?! Haha, woo! I wanted to get that out of my system._**

**_I did get around to writing back to my four reviews that I got and hopefully I will get more. I want to thank you guys again! And thank you for all those favorite authors, favorite story and story alerts out there! It truly made my day._**

**_I also had planned on doing a cliff hanger on this chapter, but it's too soon and the chapter would have been too short… so you guys lucked out!_**

**_And sorry for getting this out so late, this weekend has been insane with seeing Twilight TWICE in one night, haha._**

**_Disclaimer: The lovely, talented Mrs. Stephenie Meyer owns all that you see here. My plot is my own and I make no profit from it._**

~~~~*

_'It will be as if I never existed.'_ The words were jumbled in my mind for my memory did not do his voice any justice. It sounded like any other human had spoken those words to me.

"No," I sobbed out, burying my face into my hands, "no, no, no." The hole in my chest ripped open as I fought back the scream that was building in my throat.

Edward would never cease to exist. He left everything. _Right here!_

I whipped my nose on my sleeve and peered into the hole, holding up the flashlight once more. Sure, dust from the last six months or so have covered it, but I could see what everything was. The photos taken from my scrapbook, my unwrapped gifts from my eighteenth birthday: One rectangular and the other small and black. Once again, the hole ripped me apart as I flashed the lights on his face…

Letting out a strangled gasp, I closed my eyes and let the tears leak down my face once again. Now, I trapped. Now, I was confused, but at the same time… almost, relieved in some odd way. I knew Edward – the edges of the hole burned once again – was never meant to love me… but he left some of himself behind too.

Did he think that I wouldn't find these things? Did he think that I would go by this hole in the floor and not give it a second glance?

I coked my head to the side I reached down and pulled out the items one by one. Frowning a bit, I ran my fingers over the perfect planes of his face, the perfect arch of his eyebrow as he looked at me with my favorite crooked smile in the kitchen… it was too real for me.

Placing the things aside, I stood up quickly and dashed to my closet. I pulled out a pair of jeans, a simple white tee-shirt and black trainers.

"Going for a midnight run, Bells?" A deep voice sounded from my window.

Holding my hand to my throat, I whipped around and saw Jacob leaning against the wall, his hands trembling slightly, but he wore my familiar grin. One that belonged to me, not Sam.

"Oh, Jake!" I cried, throwing myself at his warm body and sobbing freely into his bare chest while dropping my clothes to the floor.

"Shhh Bella, its okay honey, you're alright." He whispered to me, pressing his lips lightly to my forehead.

I shook my head and looked up at him, "I found everything." I whispered back, my voice cracking with emotion. "All the pictures, my gifts… everything is still here!"

Jake's eyebrows furrowed, "what do you mean?" He asked curiously. "What pictures? What gifts?"

Freeing myself from his arms, I motioned to the pile of photographs and presents next to the new hole in my floor. "He left everything."

Jake froze. "I need to go."

I looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?! You just got here; I haven't seen you in a week! I need to talk to you, I'm so sor-."

"Save it, Bells." And with that, he opened my window and leaped out, his form shaking and shifting as he went.

I groaned out loud and stomped over the window, slammed in shut and closed my shades. Jake's emotional breakdown was on the low end of my list of things to do, and I needed to get dressed and think of a good excuse for Charlie to let me out of the house.

Throwing on my clothes, I grabbed my green jacket, the photo of Edward and ran out my bedroom door and went downstairs to confront my dad.

"You going somewhere Bells?" He asked, taking in my coat and my keys to my truck keys dangling from my hand.

I thought over my plan quickly. "Yeah, I think I'm going to go head over to La Push and try and talk to Jacob." Billy would cover for me, I hope.

His face brightened up. "Oh, okay kid. Sounds good to me, just don't be too late." I just nodded and was about to leave, but he wasn't done yet. "And Bells, be easy on Jake. He'd be good for you."

I winced and swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and tightened my grip on the picture that I had in my pocket. "Yeah, I'll uh, let him know that."

Turning on my heel so I wouldn't have to listen to Charlie to try and talk me into giving Jake a chance, I ripped my front door open and ran into the mist that had just started to fall. Slipping and sliding to my truck, the tears had started forming again and when I heard a howl pierce the night, I shut my eyes and shuddered once.

'Jake, I'm sorry. I love you, but I love him too.' I thought to myself and opened the truck door and climbed in. Shoving the key in the ignition, I pulled out of the driveway and headed out of Forks and towards the white mansion.

My hands trembled the whole way to turn off, and my brown eyes flickered more than once to the photo that laid on the seat next to me. I had no idea what this would truly solve, going back to the Cullens' home. There was nothing there left of them except the house itself.

It was like I had driven right into one of my nightmares as I approached the meadow like lawn that encircled house, the grass growing right up to the porch and it seemed more … suiting for a family of vampires to live here.

I turned my head away for a moment and stared down at the picture. "Why did you leave everything behind Edward?" I whispered to myself. "Why did you leave me here, unprotected and unhappy? Was I not good enough?" The tears slipped down my cheeks at a fast pace as I curled my knees up to my chest. I knew it never made sense for him to love a fragile, plain human like me.

My heart wrenching sobs broke free of my chest as the hole once again made its presence. It was never going to stop.

Jacob was gone again.

Victoria was still after me.

The Cullens were history.

My eyes flickered back up to the mansion and I stifled a gasp when I noticed that one light on the third floor of the house was on…

I grabbed the photo, threw open my door and ran to the door, trying to control my tears all the way up the front porch. The door was open ajar and my heart sputtered in my chest. It could be anyone. Or anything.

I shivered once and pushed the door open. Everything was missing. No piano, no couches, no large screen television… there was such a sad sight of emptiness all around the large open space. Direction my attention on the massive staircase, I heard the slightest movement on the second rising.

"Bella," a soft musical voice asked.

I balked on the first stair and gazed up at Edward's gorgeous blonde sister, Rosalie.

"Rose?" I asked in a strangled whisper, "What are you doing here?"

She smiled hesitantly and glanced behind here. "Come on up here, you silly human." She said quietly.

I stumbled up the stairs and, even though I probably would have never done this under any circumstance, threw myself into her arms. "Oh Rosalie…" I sobbed, feel pathetic.

"Bella, its fine," She said, sounding surprised at my behavior and held me out at arms length, her black eyes staring into my brown orbs. "Now, come with me."

I followed the blonde goddess up to the third floor and heard quiet mummers of another Cullen in Carlisle's office. "Is everyone here?" I asked quietly.

Rosalie shook her head and frowned. "It's only me, Emmett and…" Her voice trailed off as she bit back a smile.

"Rose, get her in here now!" Emmett called from inside the room.

She rolled her eyes are her husbands haste and pulled me into the office. What I saw made my knees shake and my heart sore.

There kneeling in the middle of the floor – looking slightly deranged – was my Edward. Time had not changed his perfect features, if anything; he looks even more beautiful than ever. His unruly bronze hair hung over his face, his pale skin almost shinning against a desk lamp. Everything about him screamed perfection.

Then I really looked at him. His hands were balled up in fists which he was leaning on; his lips were closed tight in an almost straight line and his eyes…

I couldn't help it; I shuffled back a few steps. His eyes were flat black and colder than I could ever imagine.

"Edward?" I said quietly in a strangled whisper.

His eyes focused on me as he stood up slowly and took one step towards me. In a whirlwind of movement, Emmett was holding him back and hissing things in his ear, but one thing that he said loud enough for even me to hear. "Edward, it's really Bella. You know, the clumsy, danger magnet girl that you fell in love with? You will not hurt her."

Edward visibly relaxed and closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled in once and then opened his eyes slowly. "It really is her." He whispered softly, breaking free of Emmett's hold and crossing the room in one fluid motion. Coming to a stop in front of me, Edward hesitantly lifted one hand and caressed my face once.

Letting out a cry, I threw myself into his arms and sobbed. The worst he could do right now is pull back and tell me to be rational, but he didn't.

He just pulled me closer.

~~~~*

**_Hmm. I'm not too sure on this chapter, but I do like the way it ended. So there you go folks, the second installment. I'm not sure on how long this story will be, only time can tell, but I'm pretty happy with the results._**

**_So please, read and review. And if you're good, maybe you'll get a new chapter by Monday night…_**


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